Toddler Hip Carrier or Ring Sling - which is better?

Toddler Hip Carrier or Ring Sling - which one is better? This is a question I get a lot. And often rooted in the idea that ring slings are maybe hard and maybe a toddler hip carrier is "easier" and therefore better. And really this comes down to, what price are you paying for the "ease". In this case the price you are paying is you are sacrificing a little bit of comfort and the ability to be entirely hands free and get a really supportive fit for you and baby. Yes they are easier to use, generally you can plonk baby in and tighten a little (you are going to have to do some positioning of the baby within the pouch but nothing too ardious), but you won't get a truly supportive fit for either of you and you may well need to keep one arm ready to catch should little one decide to lean back. Whilst with a Ring Sling actually you can use it EXACTLY like a hip carrier with no more skill required to acheive the same "carrying aid" status, or you can invest a little time and effort to get the hang of tightening it and get a truly fitted, supportive fit. And of course the two aren't mutually exclusive you can do different things on different days depending on your needs! You can start by just using it as a carrying aid then add on as your confidence develops. For me it comes down to simple economics... you can buy a ring sling for £45 to £90 and it will last from preemie to as long as you need it (I used mine till my daughter was 6), or you can buy a good quality hip carrier for £78-90 and it goes from 6 months to 3 years and most likely will never be completely hands free..... If you have any questions about any of these please do let me know in the comments below! -Madeleine